Maruti Ertiga 7-Seater : Auto Expo 2012

This is a discussion on Maruti Ertiga 7-Seater : Auto Expo 2012 within The Indian Car Scene, part of the BHP India category; Originally Posted by dreamseller
Probably the best MPV by MSIL. And that includes the Versa as well. Hope the Bachchans ...

The wheelbase is clearly extended, but the ride quality should be at par with Type 3 SX4/Swift - which is obviously "not bumpy" (i mean the rebound-replay of shocks - very well sorted out). Obviously the seating space will be similar in arrangement like swift/dzire when pulled to minimum leg room space (when more space is required at back- but then who would want to seat that way ). And you are indeed misinformed on SX4's rear spacing. I would say if ertiga can do a SX4 in terms of rear spacing - its got a winner. Maruti needs to keep 3rd row less claustrophobic - that is very important to justify 3rd row seating. lets wait for the official specs.

I have an SX4 and a Palio S10. When we have a full bench of 3 people, first choice is to pick the S10 as its more comfortable. Ingress is definitely low but once all have sat in no issues at all in the S10. Somehow we feel cramped in the SX4. Maybe we are all too huge

I see that you have owned Maruti cars through out. Definitely SX4 is a real improvement to their previous cars but the ride is definitely bumpy. On outstation trips I have a friend who will always puke in the SX4 but never in the S10.

@F50 : I humbly tend to disagree with this . When you buy something of X amount, you will definitely compare it with something which is of similar nature typically in that range, and also in a wider range. How else do you know if you are not missing something that might be very much required at a later point in time?

Given that purpose is the same - moving people - preferably more comfortably and safely, I guess I'm not talking nonsense.

If I buy a higher priced car, and has high resale value, then I should consider that option also, right?

Though technically its not fair to compare Chickoo and Kiwi, but then the value additions they provide does qualify for comparison, right? No doubt Ertigo is a good introduction, but buyers must do their homework well when they spend lakhs.

Just my thoughts!

My thoughts were based on the price of Ertiga, which should be around 7-8.5L. If its close to Innova then Ertiga would go down the drain. A person would be stupid not to opt for a bigger car just to save 1 lac.

If people can afford Innova they should not look at Ertiga. And people are considering Ertiga because Innova is out of their reach.

My thoughts were based on the price of Ertiga, which should be around 7-8.5L. If its close to Innova then Ertiga would go down the drain. A person would be stupid not to opt for a bigger car just to save 1 lac.

If people can afford Innova they should not look at Ertiga. And people are considering Ertiga because Innova is out of their reach.

My question is: Is Ertiga in direct competition with Innova?

From the pictures and specifications, it doesn't appear to be a competitor to either Xylo or Innova, just on the space front. But only those who has seen it in flesh can tell. I don't think I will bother about the positioning by the company to determine its competitors. Sure for discussions by experts segments holds, but not when you put in your hard earned $$$!

If Ertiga turns out to be a comfortable and reliable 7 seater, then yes, it can be a potential competitor to Innova which ever segment its positioned in. The Xylo also was positioned in a different segment, but it was a worthy competitor, with a neat 4lac lower price tag.

The initial numbers it mustered rolled off rapidly though. This is where the quality, reliability and safety aspects come in, rather than brand or features.

Agree with your assessment on the price front! So, if the price is just 2-3 lacs lower than Innova, the only selling point will be compactness. Or, it will have to be around 8L OTR to be a good value proposition.

Pricing is key for Ertiga. If priced well, it will sell like hot cakes in the market. My wish is it should be priced 6.5 L - 8.5 L ex showroom. If its the price, it will be a hit in the market for sure. Anyways, it will sell in good numbers as its a good car. If priced well then it will hit on the sales chart as well

A very interesting and informative "Walk around video" of the Ertiga from the Auto Expo in the You tube / Carblog India link below:

This video gives a good idea of the legroom, particularly at 00.56 minutes, when a guy gets into the car, and some intriguing storage space video shots below the boot floor at 05.50 minutes.

Actually, this video is a fantastic idea that conveys much better information than mere still images, especially to those who have not seen the Ertiga in flesh as yet.

However, the movie clip was jerky in parts, probably because the cameraman tried to capture the clip as well as display portions of the car at the same time. Two persons doing the job -- one to capture the clip and the other to open/close/display portions of the vehicle -- would have been so much better.

Would request/suggest the team-bhp moderators to incorporate such video clips (can be uploaded through youtube) of cars during their threads on auto expos, road tests, etc.

Well I have a question is about the positioning of this product?
Is Maruti going to put it as a fleet pick/drop type of a product - (if so, last row space wont let it be)
or a personal segment product - (is the design appealing to personal segment buyers?)
or let me put it this way, what would be competition for Ertiga
a) Sumo gold/Tavera/Innova/eeco
b) I20, Jazz, or some other personal segment product?

IMHO, there is absolutely no competition for Ertiga at the moment. Maruti will target it for personal buyers looking for a compact 7 seater. This is probably the first product (let us excuse Eeco for obvious reasons). I am eagerly waiting for the prices. I sincerely hope the top end tops at 10 lakhs OTR Bangalore. Then it is just a matter of going through GTO and team's expert review and book the car.

My guess with this Ertiga is that it will be positioned and priced a little above or equivalent to their own SX4 and perhaps the M&M Xylo, because they would want to target those consumers who would typically go for a 10~ lac vehicle, but who have a requirement for more space for slightly larger families and luggage.

My guess with this Ertiga is that it will be positioned and priced a little above or equivalent to their own SX4 and perhaps the M&M Xylo, because they would want to target those consumers who would typically go for a 10~ lac vehicle, but who have a requirement for more space for slightly larger families and luggage.

1.4K series is bang in the middle of K1.2 (Swift) & K1.6 (SX4). The pricing for at least petrol variant is expected to be bang in the middle of Swift & SX4 (slightly higher than Dezire). As a corollary Diesel variants will have to be similarly priced :-).

The size of the vehicle and its capacity will also have some bearing on this dont you think?
While I think they are making that 1.3 DDIS do duty here also, the capacity of the vehicle will also have a bearing in determining its positioning.
I d say that the Ertiga would become a viable alternative to the Xylo and Innova in some sense. But I think they will also have the baby Xylo in mind when they do their pricing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajay0612

1.4K series is bang in the middle of K1.2 (Swift) & K1.6 (SX4). The pricing for at least petrol variant is expected to be bang in the middle of Swift & SX4 (slightly higher than Dezire). As a corollary Diesel variants will have to be similarly priced :-).